Speed regulator for motor vehicles



A. L.- MCMURTRY. Y SPEED REGULATOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4,1916. -RENEWV IAN. 27,199- v 1,431,169. Patented Oct, 10,1922.

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6g @www A. L. Mc'ivlumnv. SPEED REGULATOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4| 19H5- RENEWED JAN. 27. 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2`.

Patented Oct. 10, 1922..

.uw ml N inviten stares .earear ortiei Patented @et l0, i922.,

entre@ ALBEN L. i/ieifiuefrny, or wiisniNeroN, nisraror or ooLUMBiA.

srnnn REGULATOR non Memor. vnriroiniis.

applicati-roamed February zi, 1916, serial No. 76,992. Renewed January er, 191e. serial No. 273,504.

`positively prevent the vehicle i'roni travel Aing tester than a predeterminedspeed under any and all conditions of load,` grade and engine speed, and to positively prevent the driver :from tampering with, or preventing,`

thepi'oper operation ofthe coi'itrolling device; l y

Prior devices for controlling,` the speed ot 'the 'Vehle bygoverningthe speed ot the engine,either from a d 1iven part ot the engine or from a driven part oi' the vehicle in the'rear of the clutch and transmission geen ing, while effective under certain conditions, Will not operate to prevent the vehicle troni .racing dovvn-hill, when the clutch is disen nraged or 'the gear shiitt lever is at neutral.

ln my improved construction, l secure a speed control operable at all times and acting to positively apply a braking action t the 'vehicle Whenever it travels at an eXcessive speed, the operating part o' the Vcontroller having itsl speed at a constant `and vpredetermined ratio to that of the vehicle itself.

f ln order to prevent the Waste of poiver, l may arrange the device to throttle the en- `eine before applying` the brakes, but l preter to make the bralring action powerful v enoughto effect the desired limiting of the vehicle speed even when theengine is not throttled, or when the vehicle is coasting -dovvnLhill with the engine disconnected either at the clutch or at the transmission gear. llfhile the control ol the engine speed prelierably by lthe throttle, it may be in various other Ways.

invention in its preferred embodiment Vinvolves variousnovel and important features. For `the governing' device, I may employ various types having 'Weights or other members Whichmove to operative position by centrifugal force only when a precietermined speed is reached, but when in op erative position, will trictionailj,lv engage and tend to rotate a member operatively con- 5-5 ont Figure i and neet-ed to either the throttle or the brakes, or toboth. The range of movement ot such frictionally driven member may be limited so that when the increase in speed and 'tric` tional drivingl tendency has moved it to a predetermined position, further movement will be prevented and the irictionbetvveen the driving,n and the driven members will be relied upon to produce braking action. The trictionally driven member, during its limited movement, may operate to first control the throttle and then to apply the main brakes or other supplemental brakes Which may act in addition to thebraking` action produced by the trictional resistence, in the device itselii.

Various embodiments of my invention may ie designed Within the scope oi' the appended claims and Without departing from the spirit of my invention. i ln the accompanying drawings, to which reference is to be had,

have illustrated certain embodiments, but

these are illustrative only, and l do not desire to be limited to the details ot construc- 'tion there shown.

i ln these drawings:

I Figure l is a vieiv part-ly in section showing; one embodiment or" my invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of yone of the shoes employed in the construction shown in Figure l; Y

.Figure 3 is a vieiv similar to a portion ot igure l but showing an alternative construction Figure l. is a central longitudinal section a form especially designed to be installed in a completed vehicle;

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line, looking in the direction of the arrovv;`

Figure 6 is also a transverse section on the line 5--5 ont Figure tbut looking in the opposite direction;

Figure 7 is an end vieiv oi a further ulternative 'form and Figure 8 is a view oi' a modification ot a throttle operator.

rlhe construction illustrated in Figure l is pareicularbT designed to be built into vehicle during the construction of the latter, although it might be installed in anotherwise completedvehicle. The device includes shell or casing` l0 having an inner surface concentric vf'ith a shaft 1l and mounted tor limited v'rotation in respect to the latter.

llO

The shalt ll may oe and preferably is the main propeller shajl'tot 'he vehicle and the casing l0 maybe installed closely adjacent to or within a part of the casing which encloses the transmission gearing and directly in front of the iirst universal joint. rllie shalt il thus is rotated at a speed directly proportional to the speed ot the vehicle and its speed may vary in respect to the engine speed either by the shitting oit the transmission gears or by the disengagement ot the clutch. Secured to the shalt ll is a head or collar l2 serving as a guide tor radially movable shoes lil. The latter are non molly dra vn into the limiting position toward the anis oit rotation by any suitable means sach, tor instance, as springs 14,-. the strernijth oit which is sufiicient to prevent the snot-s irci i movin. ont into en ement with the casii f' l() by the action o'l centri'tugal force ivhe.. the vehicle is traveling' at any and all speer s below the jnedetermined speed to which it is desired to limit the vehicle. Thus. when the vehicle is traveling' belov.'v the critical or griiredetermined speech the parte within the casing` l0 may treely revolve with the sin l and out ot engagement with the casing il). lllhen the speed oi" the vehicle reaches or exceeds the predetermined speed, the shoes are torced outwardly by cent 'nuggal 'force so as to trictionally engage with the casingl0 and tend to rotate 'the latter in the same direction as the shalt. rlhe speed at which the shoes cone into operation may be readily controlled by properly selecting' the niass oi' the shoes and the strength and tension ot the springs le. These latter may be provided Wit-h any suitable means V tor adjusting their tension.

The casing l0 is normally held in the position shown, by a spring` 16 or any other suita le means tending` to rotate the casing in a direction opposite to that at which it rotates or tends to rotate when the shoes i3 are in trictional engagement ivith it. The rotative movement of the casing;` in one direction is limited by the engagement of a lug l? vvith a stop 18 While movement in the opposite direction is limited by the engagement of a lug 19 with a stop 20. To prevent chattering or rapid movement of the casing' in either direction, a dash-pot 2l may be provided with its piston rod 22 connected to the casing in any suitable manner, as9 for instance. by direct connection with the lug; 19 to which the spring' 16 may also be connected.

llhe rotation of the casing` operates to control the speed o'l1 the engine which drives the vehicle and also to apply one or more brakes to stop or slow down the vehicle, or prevent it from -further increasing its speed. As shown, the engine throttle 24 is connected by a rod 25 to a luga` 26 on the casing and the lug 19 is connected by a rod 27 to a bellcrank lever 28 i'or operating a brake 29. The brake 29 may be either the ordinary foot-brake or the ordinary emergency brake of the vehicle, or may be an additional bralre. Preferably, there are tivo brakes 29 and the brake-drums 30 thereoiF are directly connected to the rear Wheels ot the vehicle although there` may be but one brake-drum secured to the propeller shaft directly in advance or" the differential. l do not cla-im any novelty in the construction oit the brake itsel't or in the particular location thereof, except that it shall be capable ot operation in limiting or retardingg1 the speed of the vehicle rather than the speed of the engine.

Preferably. the connections between the asino., throttle and brake are such that the lirottle vvill be closed betere the brake is applied and the throttle may remain in closed position Without further movement aiter being closed and While the casing 10 is rotating lfurther to apply the brake. To pei-init this, the brakeI rod 27 has lost motion connections 32 with the lug` i9 and the throttle operating; rod 25 is formed of two relatively inovable sections connected by a spring1 rlfhe spring is such that it prevents relative movement of the two sections until the throttle is closed and thereafter may be compressed to permit a further movement ot the lug' 26 Without further movement ot the throttle.

The throttle 2a may, lances, be the ordinary throttle whereby the driver controls the speed ot the car, brit preferably the throttle 2J; is separate and independent of the usual throttle so that the iriver may properly control the speed of lil e engine in the oroinary Way? but can not tamper with or control the action ot the throttle 2a when the speed ot the, car ei:- ceeds that for which the herein described apparatus is set.

is the amount ot power required to move the casing` l0 and close the throttle 2l may be small compared to the amount ot poiver which it is desired to exert in applying; the brakes, the friction shoes ot the centrifugal device may be made ot sections so 'that when one speed is reached. a comparatively small section will eno' e with the casing); to rotate the latter a sun Lent distance to close the throttle and when the speed reaches a second and slightlv higher limit, the remainder of the shoe will come into operation and sufficient :torce will be exerted on the casing to move it a further distance and apply the bralres. As shown, the shoe i3 has small central section which is relatively movable in respect to the body of the shoe and is normally held against outward radial movenient into engagement ivith the casing; lO by a spring 36. i rlhe section 35 nniy be so mounted in the body oit the shoe llO iso

`spring 42. Any other that it cannot move outwardly in respect to the latter, but will normally project out a short distance. Thus, when the two sections of the shoe move outwardly together, the section 35 will engage with the casing and upon a further increase in centrifugal force, the spring 36 may be compressed and theremainder of the shoe moved outwardly into engagement with the casing. Ido not wish to be in any way limited to the spe`- citic construction illustrated, as the two shoe sections may be mounted in any other manner commonly employed in centrifugally operated brakes or clutches.

Iy have illustrated the axes of the throttle, shaft l1 and drum 30 as parallel in order that the relative movements ofthe parts may be better understood, but of course this arrangement is not important. By the use of bell-,crank levers, rock shafts, or cables, the desired movements may be imparted to the throttle and brake upon the predetermined rotative movement of the casing 10 irrespective of the Vparticular positions of the parts.` Preferably, the operative connections are so designed or so enclosed that the driver cannot readily render the device inoperative by removing any coupling pin or disconnecting any of the parts.

After the shoes 13 have been moved outwardly by an increase of speed and cen trifugal force so that they frictionally engage with the casing or drum 10, any further increase of speed will result in a very material increase in the centrifugal force and the frictional engagement of the shoes with the casing. 'Ihe surface of the shoes and of the casing may be such that this friction may be very great and I may therefore entirely eliminate the connection between the casing and the brake 29 and may utilize this friction within the device itself as the main braking action of the controller.

I have shown an engine speed regulator' in the form of a throttle in the intake pipe, but I do not wish to be limited to this particular means for controlling the engine. The rod 25 might be connected to any other known mechanism for controlling the engine speed such, for instance, as the timer, the fuel supply valve, a back pressure valve in the exhaust, or the like.

In Figure 3, I have illustrated part of a device very similar to that shownin Figure l except that the collar or head Ll0 has four radially disposed guideways for four separate shoes 41, each of which is normally held in the inward position by a separate arrangement of brake shoes might be employed. rIwo of the springs 42 which are diametrically ops posite to each other may be weaker than the other two so that one pair of shoes will come into engagement with `the casing before the other pair, or the springs may all be made of the same strength and the shoes operate simultaneously.

Instead of mounting the member carryy ing the centrifugally operated shoes or other devices by a shaft constituting a part of the power connections between the cngine and the driving wheels, I may provide a separate shaft to carry these. parts and operatively connect it by any form of power transmitting connection to some part of the driven part of the vehicle which rotates a speed proportional to the speed of the ve hicle. This is preferably where I apply my invention to a complete vehicle and the design of the parts of the vehicle are such that the casing IO and friction shoe carrying part l2 cannot readily be applied to the propeller shaft.

In Figure +L I have illustrated a construction especially designed for installation on a previously completed vehicle. rlhis construction includes shaft mountedL in bearings on any suitable part of the chassis or in any other supports 5l of the vehicle. The shaft may be connected to and driven by the propeller shaft, jack shaft or any other rotary driven part in the rear of the clutch and transmission gearing. The driving may be by any form of gearing or other power transmitting devices. In the drawing I have shown the shaft provided with a sprocket wheel'52 from which a chain may entend to corresponding sprocket wheel on a driven part of the vehicle. By varying the sizes of the sprocket wheels, the shaft 5() may be driven at a higher or lower speed, or at the same speed, as the rear wheels of the vehicle.

Mounted on the shaft 50 and rotatable in respect thereto is a sleeve 53 externally threaded and connected to or integral with a casing 5a concentric with the shaft. TVithin the casing, the shaft has centrifugally actuated shoes for engagement with the casing. rlhese shoes may be of the same construction as those `shown in Figure l or may be similar to those shown in Figure 3, or may be of any other construction common in centrifugally actuated brakes or clutches. Merely as an example, I have illustrated the shaft as provided with a head 55 rigidly secured 'thereto and a second head 56 keyed and slidable along the shaft. A spring 57 continually tends to spread the heads apart and pairs of links 58 and 59 connect the two heads to brake shoes GO ad jacent to theinner surface of the casing 54;. When the shaft 50 is rotated at a speed below the predetermined and critical speed, the spring 57 holds theV heads 55 and 5G suiicient distance apart so that the shoes 60 do not touch the casing 54. is the speed increases, centrifugal force overcomes the action 0f the spring 57 and the shoes are ICO Cri

caused to move outvvardly into engagement with the casing and to press thereagainst with a pressure dependent upon the speed et rotation.

lvlounted on the threaded portion ont the sleeve 53 is a collar 6l having outwardly extending pins or trunnions (32 engaging in slots in the opposite branches or forks 613 oi' a lever Gel. @ne end of this lever has lost motion connections 32 with a brake op- -erating rod` 27 similar to that shown in lligure l and which is operatively connected to the brake 29. lhe opfpiosite end ot the lever Gil is connected to a throttle operating rod 25 which may be connected to a throttle as is in liigure l.

rl`he casing shovvn in Figure l is capable ol rotating` through only a part oit' a revolution, whereas in the construction shown in Figure the casing` 54; may he rotated through several revolutions. Thus, in theconstruction shown in Figure el, a greater leverage may be secured and greater power may he applied to the brakes with a correspondingly smaller pressure exerted hy eentritugal force in the casing.

The lever 64 may be normally held in such a position that the brake is disengaged and for this purpose a spring may he employed. A spring 66 may normally tend to rotate the casing in one direction and thus tend to move the collar lll along the threaded portion ol the sleeve to sin' a position that the hralre is not applied and the throttle is open. Such a spring is shown in Figure 5 and is in the form of a spiral with one end secured to a stationary point and the other end connected to a sleeve.

By pivoting the lever Gl on the collar el and by providing a stop 6.7 in the path o' one end ot the lever. it is no longer necessary to provide lost motionconnections between the lever and the throttle. lllith the parts in the position shoivn in Figure Ll, an increase in the speed el rotation of the shalt would cause the shoes to engage with the casing and rotate it and move the collar (il toward the left. rlhe upper end ot the lever may remain substantially stationary While the lower end l the lever advances to close the throttle. yllt the instant the throttle is closed the lever engages with the stop 67 and then it the collar Gl be moved a turther distance, the lever vvill swing` about the loiver end a center and its upper end ivill operate to pull the rod 27 and apply the brakes. The rods themselves may be relied upon to prevent a rotation ot the lever Gl and the collar 6l around the shalt 50 as a center or any other suitable guiding or supporting means may be employed. l have shoivn a slotted connection between the collar and the lever` but this is not es sential iff the upper and loiver ends of the lever be tree to rise or tall to a slight extent as the lever swings. I have shovvn the upper end of the lever supported by the rod 27 and the latter guided in a support (58, but these details are not essential.

Instead ot employing the pivoted lever and stop construction ot Figure Ll, l may employ a type ot lost motion connection between the rod 25 and the throttle as is shoivn in Figure 8. Here a spring 70 normally tends to swing the throttle lever 7l in one direction so as to open the throttle. The rod 25 carries a head72 presenting a cam surface 73 and a surface 74tsubstantially parallel to the direction of movement of the rod. lllith the parts in the position shoivn in Figure l, the throttle will be open While upon moving the rod 25 toward the position shown in dotted lines, the lever vfill be moved to close the throttle. After the end et the lever reaches the loiver end of the cam surface 73, the rod 25 may continue to move toward the lett without any injury to the throttle or Without any tendency to move it past its normal closed position.

ln Figure 7 l have shown a further modification ot my construction and in Which the shaft may correspond to either the sha'lt ll oit Figure l or the shaft 50 of Figure a. `llt is illustrated as being rotated from a shatt 81 by a chain drive 82. A easing 83 is concentric With the shalt 8O and with it shoes Sil may engage when the critical speed. is reached. The rotation or' the casingmay operate the brake and the throttle in substantially the saine Way as is shown in Figure l. (lne of the import-ant details ol' this construction is the single stop S5 vcith which either the lug 85 or the lug 87 may engage to limit the rotation ot the casing. rl`he lug 86 is illustrated as having an inclined surface 88 engaging vvith a roller on the end ot a bell cra-nk lever1 90. Beyond the inclined surta-ce 88 is a surface suhstantially parallel to the periphery ot the casing. Thus as the casing rotates through a limited distance, the roller will travel along the cam surface and the bell crank lever will be turned to close the throttle. At the inst-ant the throttle reaches a closed position, the roller reaches the upper end ot the cam surface and a further rotation of the casing S3 in applying the brakes vvill not operate to further atl'ect the throttle.

My invention is particularly designed tor use on a motor vehicle of the type in which the motor is operated by internal combus tion and in which the speed ot the motor is controlled by opening or closing the throttle and ley advancing or retarding or otherwise controlling the spark of the ignition system. l may in some cases employ an electric motor Aor any other suitable prime mover as the means tor propelling the vehicle and in such construction the rod 25. Which. I have shovvn tor operating the throttle, might be emllO i ance means normally tendin ployed for operating any other suitable speed regulating Vdevice of the motor such `as a rhe'ostat for an electric motor or the steam valve for a steam motor.

While l have shownl and described my device as operating to throttle the engine before applying the brake, it will be obvious that both actions may be simultaneous. Moreover, my speed controllers are usually designed and adjusted so as to come into operation only at speeds approaching the normal running speed for which the motor is designed, and this, in the case of motoi1 trucks for instance, issay fifteen to twenty miles an hour. et such relatively high speeds the brake is very edective in cutting down tendency to increased speed even though the motor throttle be wide open, and in such cases it is entirely practical to simplify my above. described apparatus iby omitting or disconnecting the throttle control, the speed being kept down to the required limit solely by means ofthe brakes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to sec-ure by Letters Patent is:

1. A'speed regulator for motor driven vehicles, including a movable member, resistg to prevent its movement in one direction, a driving shaft, means for frictionally connecting said shaft and said member when the speed of the shaft reaches a predetermined limit and tending to `move said member against said resistance means, an engine controlling device and reciprocally operating means for actuating it in both directions solely by power derived from the movements of said movable member, braking means and a lost motion connection for actuating it reciprocally in both directions by power derived solely from said movable member whereby movement of said movable member in one direction actuates iirst said engine controlling device at a predetermined speed limit'and` then said braking means at a predetermined higher speed, if and when, the speed of the shaft exceeds said rst-mentioned predetermined limit and whereby movement of said movable member in the opposite direction releases first said braking means at a predetermined speed and then said engine con trolling devices, if and when the speed falls below the speed of release of said braking means..

2. A speed regulator for motor driven vehicles, including a driving shaft, an oscillatory member concentric therewith, resistance means normally tending to prevent rotation of said member in one direction, centrifugally operated frictional means connected to said shaft havinfl separately movable frictional surfaces of diderent areas, the smaller surface area being adapted to engagewith said member at a predetermined speed and the larger frictional area at a predetermined higher speed to rotate said member againstV the action of said resistance means and with continually increasing effect as the speed of the shaft increases, a brake, and means for positively actuating said brake by power directly applied by movement of said member by said frictional means.

3. A speed regulator for motor driven vehicles, including a driving shaft, an oscillatory member concentric therewith, resistance means normally tending to 'prevent rotation of said member in one direction, centrifugally operated frictional means connected to said shaft and adapted to engage with said member and tend `to r tate said member against the action of said resistance means and with continually increasing effect as the speed of the shaft increases, an engine controlling device, and means including a lost motion connection for directly actuating said device by the power of movement of said member by said frictional means.

Signed at Greenwich, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 28th day of January, A. D. 1916.

, ALBEN L. McMURTRY.

Witnesses: i

A. -W. W. NLARSHALL, GEORGE A. FINN. 

